I received a bottle of Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive oil and other promotional items from Smiley360 in exchange for my honest review.

Of all the cooking ingredients in the world, I think olive oil has the richest history. Did you know that the ancient Greeks viewed the Olive tree as a gift from Athena and used the oil in religious rituals? The Greek poet Homer even called it liquid gold. While we don’t particularly pay homage to Athena through the use of olive oil anymore, many chefs still hold it in the highest regard.

Did you know that not all olive oil is created equal? Honestly, I didn’t really understand that until I tried the good stuff! What a major difference it makes! Pompeian is definitely “the good stuff.” They use only the very best olives to create their oil. Now, I have no idea what makes one olive better than another but I’m sure glad Pompeian does!

3-Cheese Breaded Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan, Romano and Asiago cheese blend

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup flour (all-purpose)

1/4 cup milk (preferably 2%, but we used 1% with no issues)

2 tablespoons egg, beaten

2 boneless skinless chicken strips

1/4 cup Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions to prepare the chicken:

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large, resealable baggie.

Put the flour in a shallow bowl.

Combine egg and milk in another shallow bowl.

Coat chicken in the flour.

Dip in the egg mixture.

Drop it in the baggie and shake it to coat.

Pour the Pompeian EVO (see, I watch cooking shows!) into the skillet. Drop the chicken in the skillet and cook over medium heat for about three minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove it and place it on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil. Eat.

The Pompeian makes it better!

Could you make this recipe with any old type of cooking oil? Sure you could! In fact, we have, many times. I’m telling you, though, the Pompeian completely changes the whole experience. First, the chicken was so much more moist and tender when we cooked it in the Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I am super weird about the texture of chicken. I prefer it to be quite tender. If it’s even remotely rubbery or dry, I can’t eat it.

Second, the taste is just more robust, for lack of a better term. Almost nutty. Definitely earthier. I’m sorry, I’m not really good at describing flavors. I’d never make it as a food critic! Where regular cooking oil is just a medium used to keep your food from sticking to the pan, Pompeian Olive Oil is an actual ingredient. It makes itself known in the dish. I think that’s really the best way I can put it. It’s good stuff!

Want to try Pompeian in your own recipes? Click here for more information and to print a $1 off coupon. Be sure to like Pompeian on Facebook to check out great recipes and news!

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Have you tried Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil? What is your favorite recipe to use it in?